I founded Expressive Arts Institute of Oregon in 2014. The inception of the school sprouted from my research project and thesis titled Whole Child Left Behind.
Expressive Arts Institute of Oregon became a nonprofit 501c3 in 2019.
The Whole Child Left Behind project remains the underpinning of our work at Expressive Arts Oregon. Our purpose is to explore how personal mythology relates to – and influences – education, culture and child development.
I have been a teacher and learner in the interdisciplinary expressive arts field since 1986. My education began in dance and theatre in New York City. My undergraduate degree is in psychology and counseling. My master’s degree is in Movement and Expressive Arts Education, and Early Childhood Development and Education.
After moving to Portland Oregon in 2008 I began work with the Portland Public Schools and the Reynolds Schools District. I taught our expressive arts curriculum for children. I continue to work with a wide range of children (age, economic, behavioral) and combine movement and visual arts for emotional, social, physical and mental development for pre-school through high school.
My profile:
- Program Director for Expressive Arts Institute of Oregon’s 500-hour Embodied Expressive Arts Education and Therapy Training Program
- Master Trainer for Oregon Registry providing a 30-hour training program called The Teacher’s Way™ a professional development 5-part series for educators
- Lead teacher for EXA Kids! children’s programs and Parent/Child classes
- Providing private practice in body-centered therapy/education for adults
My work as performer & movement researcher:
- International Movement Dialogues
- Performance/presentation and documentary video supporting arts-based research and the process work of movement and expressive arts
- Guest Facilitation for faculty and students
- EXA Process Labs in Authentic Contemporary Dance (ACD is an outgrowth of the personal exploratory movement process and framework that comes from movement-based expressive arts therapy and education practices.)
- For more information, visit Lanie Bergin Dance and Environmental Grace Productions.
Academic Profile
- M.Ed., Movement and Expressive Arts Education: Early Childhood Development and Education; Lesley University
- European Graduate School, Saas Fee, Switzerland, Expressive Arts Therapy
- Movement-based Expressive Arts Education & Therapy; Tamalpa Institute
- Registered Somatic Movement Therapist & Educator; International Somatic Movement Therapy Association
- Oregon Registry Master Trainer and CEU provider: Portland State University; The Oregon Center for Career Development in Childhood Care & Education
- Trauma Practitioner; The Sensorimotor Psychotherapy Institute
- Experienced-Registered Yoga Therapy Teacher & Registered Children’s Yoga Teacher and CEU provider; Yoga Alliance Association
- B.A. Psychology and Dance Education
- The American Academy of Dramatic Arts, NYC., Theatre and Dance Education
